Hungarian Doughnuts with Apricot Jam (Szalagos fánk baracklekvárral)

apricot jam

🥗Healthier: fruit preserves

💰Cheaper: homemade jam

Fruit preserves can lower sugar content while still providing flavor.

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil offers a dairy-free option with similar richness.

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: bread flour

Whole wheat flour increases fiber content.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey provides natural sweetness with additional flavor.

In a bowl mix together 100 ml lukewarm milk with 1 tbsp of confectioners sugar. Add the yeast, stir then let it rise (about 10 minutes).

Sift the flour into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt, egg yolks, confectioners sugar, the rest of the lukewarm milk, the risen yeast and 1 tbsp of rum (it's optional).

Mix and knead the ingredients until it comes together and forms a soft dough.

Pour in half of the melted butter and continue kneading. When the butter is integrated into the dough, pour in the second half and knead again well. You can do all the kneading by hand or use an electric dough mixer.

Sprinkle some flour on the top of the dough, cover and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size.

Put the dough onto a well-floured surface, flatten it with your hand, flour the top then with a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it's about 2cm thick.

Cut out the doughnuts with a round pastry cutter. Reshape and roll out the leftover dough too, for cutting as many doughnuts as possible.

Press a small dent with your finger into each doughnut.

Cover them with a cloth and let them rise again (for about 30 minutes).

Heat the vegetable oil to 180C. Place the doughnuts one by one into the oil with the dented side down. Cover the pot with a lid immediately and fry the doughnuts for just about 40 seconds. Turn them over and fry the other side (without lid) for 40 seconds too until they are lightly browned. Monitor the temperature of the oil – if it's too hot the doughnuts will burn and won't be fluffy.

Repeat this frying process with all of your doughnuts, removing them with a slotted spoon and placing them on a paper towel-lined plate.

Sprinkle a good amount of confectioners sugar on top. You can eat them right away, or fill the hollows with some good quality apricot jam.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens